Tag: Theralogix

  • IVF supplements & complimentary therapies

    Improving overall health, especially fertility health, is an important part of the IVF journey. While I always believe that a healthy diet, regular exercise, and managing stress are the best foundations, I also took a variety of supplements and tried different therapies before and during my cycles. Most were recommended or prescribed by my IVF doctors, but some I discovered through my own research or from friends.

    Honestly, I don’t think any supplement or therapy is a magic fix—they’re just small pieces of a much bigger IVF picture. We try them, we hope they help, but there’s no guarantee. Everything I’m sharing is based on my own experience, so please take it with caution and consult with your doctor. To be honest, their benefits (and side effects) weren’t obvious to me, but they might be for you. Every body is different and responds in its own way.

    1. Conventional Supplements

    Recommended to start taking supplements at least three months before IVF to help prepare the body.

    Theralogix Prenatal Vitamins: 1 tablet per day

    This prenatal vitamin is packed with essential nutrients to nourish the body. Compared to other brands, it has higher amounts of key nutrients, making it more comprehensive. One standout ingredient is choline, which plays a crucial role in supporting the baby’s brain and spinal cord development. The downside? It oxidized pretty easily, and once that happened, the smell was really unpleasant. I haven’t taken it in over a year, so I’m not sure if the newer version has been improved.

    Theralogix Fish Oil: 3 softgels per day

    Each softgel contains 1000 mg of fish oil, including 400 mg EPA, 300 mg DHA, and 750 mg Omega-3s. It’s great for supporting the immune system, reducing inflammation and pain, and promoting heart, brain, and joint health.

    Theralogix NeoQ10: 2 softgels per day

    Each softgel contains 6.7 mg of vitamin E and 125 mg of natural coenzyme Q10, a powerful antioxidant that helps support egg quality (and sperm quality too).

    Theralogix Ovasitol: Taken as directed on the label

    This supplement contains myo-inositol and d-chiro-inositol, which help balance hormones and improve ovulation.

    DHEA: 75 mg per day (store brand)

    DHEA is a hormone that helps improve ovarian function and the body’s response to stimulation drugs. It’s also known to support sperm production and quality in men.

    Tru Niagen: 1 capsule per day

    This supplement contains NAD+, a coenzyme that helps power metabolism and cell rejuvenation.

    Bio-D-Mulsion Forte (Vitamin D): 2000 IU per day

    I took extra vitamin D due to my chronic vitamin D deficiency. It plays a key role in reproductive health—it helps regulate the menstrual cycle, improve ovulation, enhance egg quality, and reduce inflammation. Before starting IVF, my doctor had me take a blood test to check my vitamin D levels.

    2. Herbal Supplements

    I was prescribed a combination of herbal medicine, which included 15 tablets per day and two liquid packets. These contained a blend of various herbs such as ginger, turmeric, cardamom, fennel seeds, lotus seed embryos, dried citrus peel, jujube, and ginseng. They were meant to support the immune system, reduce inflammation, improve blood flow, and promote cell rejuvenation. I took them for three months before starting the stimulation phase.

    3. IVF Complementary Non-Medicinal Therapies

    Acupressure & Reflexology

    I had acupressure and reflexology (foot massage) twice a week. These therapies are believed to improve blood circulation, balance hormones, and reduce stress. Personally, they were a huge help in keeping me mentally and emotionally grounded throughout the process.

    Acupuncture

    I had acupuncture every day except Sunday at Vien Cham Cuu Trung Uong (National Acupuncture Hospital), with an acupuncturist, who has a PhD. (In VN, an acupuncture license can be obtained after just six weeks of study – online sources). Acupuncture is known to help improve hormone balance, enhance blood flow, and reduce stress.Some people might not enjoy acupuncture because of the discomfort from the needles, but I absolutely loved the experience. The slight discomfort only lasted a few seconds, and the rest of the session was incredibly relaxing and soothing. I often slept during the treatment and woke up feeling like a completely different person—much lighter and fresher. All the heaviness and tiredness vanished, and I felt like that half-hour nap was more restorative than my nighttime sleep.

    Red Light Therapy (RL)

    I used Red Light Therapy (RL) alongside acupuncture. It helps warm up the uterus, improve blood flow, and promote relaxation. While you can buy RL machines to use at home, I’ve never tried them myself.

    These therapies are commonly used in the US as complementary treatments alongside IVF. In VN, while they are much more affordable and widely used, they are typically focused on relaxation or relieving joint and bone pain. Acupuncture is the only one that’s sometimes used for purposes like supporting implantation, regulating periods, or helping with embryo transfer, but it’s not specifically tailored for IVF, especially before and during stimulation. When I shared my purpose with the practitioners, they were a bit surprised, but they were very supportive, and I trusted their expertise and flexibility.

    Honestly, I didn’t expect these therapies to directly solve my infertility issues. No single approach is guaranteed—it’s all about trial and error. I was open to all possible complementary therapies with careful consideration about potential risks. While the IVF benefits of these treatments were uncertain, they did wonders for my emotional and mental well-being.

    4. Advanced IVF complementary therapies

    PRP (Platelet-Rich Plasma) Injections

    For more details, check out this link: IVF Cycle 8

    Human Growth Hormone (HGH) Injections

    For more details, check out this link: IVF Cycle 9

    Glutathione IV drips

    For more details, check out this link: IVF Cycle 10

    5. Diet and Exercise for Fertility

    Diet

    My basic rules were balance, variety and flexibility. I’m not a picky eater. I ate a little bit of everything but was mindful of my portions. I focused on whole foods, foods high in antioxidants, and mostly cooked everything from scratch. That said, I didn’t force myself to eat what I didn’t like. There’s always an alternative! E.g., I’m not a fan of avocados, salmon or nuts, I found alternatives that worked for me, like olive oil, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds and other types of fish and shellfish.

    I avoided processed foods with unhealthy fats, preservatives, and additives as much as possible, but I didn’t rule them out entirely. I rarely ate deep-fried foods or grilled meat, but that’s more about my personal preference, so it wasn’t hard to stick to. One great thing is that my everyday Vietnamese food is already balanced and varied, so I didn’t have to try too hard. Some people swear by the Mediterranean diet, which is also known to support fertility. Pick one that you like and find suitable. Nutrition is important, and so is enjoying your food. It’s all part of nurturing your emotional health.

    There were certain foods I enjoy but had to limit or avoid, like pepperoni, salami, salted pork lard, butter, and animal organs, which are high in cholesterol. I was also careful about foods that could potentially contain harmful substances, like mercury in some fish and snails. I had to cut back on my caffeine intake too, even though I love coffee and tea. Sometimes, I really wish I could eat whatever I like without worrying about ingredients or whether I’m consuming too much.

    When I started IVF, my BMI was 20, which was within the normal range (19-25). However, my doctor still encouraged me to increase my body fat, as she believed fat played an important role in regulating hormones and ovulation. While this is generally true, it didn’t seem to apply to me, as even with a BMI of almost 22, my IVF results didn’t improve much. I’ve also seen people who were much thinner succeed easily. Well, age always matters, I think.

    Exercise

    I didn’t stick to any specific type of exercise. I just tried to be physically active everyday and avoid intense movements. Basically, I focused on improving blood flow and avoided putting pressure or stress on my lower abdomen.

    In general, IVF’s been a journey of trial and error for me. Despite all my efforts, unfortunately my results have been very poor so far with only three day-3 embryos after 8 ERs and I haven’t done a transfer yet. But I hope what I’ve shared is useful and might work better for you.

  • April ramblings, 2023

    ​4/8: Chores

    Cleaned the shared bathroom, the half bathroom and Sam’s litter box.

    Did the laundry, washed a shower curtain and bathroom mats, changed hand and face cloths.

    Mopped the bathrooms and the MF room.

    Cooked chili, put the dishes away and refilled the soap dispenser.

    4/10: Chores and abdomen ultrasound

    Went to Walmart, got groceries, put them in the fridge & the pantry.

    Put rice into containers for storage.

    Cooked rice soup with the leftover rice stuck to the cooker’s bottom. Cleaned the kitchen and put away the dishes.

    Took supplements, went to the IVF clinic to get a specimen cup.

     4/11: Chores

    Filled out a passport application.

    Did the laundry and dried it.

    Ironed shirts.

    Cooked oysters and chili soup for dinner.

    Fed pets.

    Put away the dishes and cleaned the kitchen.

    4/12: Chores and passport application appointment schedule

    Woke up feeling anxious about submitting the passport application, took a shower​​ and got dressed to head out to take passport photos and go to a passport agent. Disliked paperwork stuff like this, but knew had to get it done. At the post office, a staff member told that I had to make an appointment online. Made an appointment for the next day at another location. Booked a photo service slot too, felt relieved. Went back home, unloaded and loaded the dishwasher, vacuumed the master room and changed bed sheets.

    4/13: Chores, passport application submission and bonus letter

    Checked the leftover IVF medications and informed the nurse for prescription.

    Cleaned the dirty vacuum cleaner by removing debris and dust from the compartments and washing the filter.

    Hung up new bedroom curtains and did the laundry.

    Unloaded and loaded dishwasher and cleaned kitchen.

    Cooked dinner including soup made from chili, rice, stewed potatoes and carrots, fresh tomatoes, green beans, sausages, crawfish, milk, and cheese with cayenne pepper to spice it up; fried noodles with milk, parmesan cheese, onion, and green mix topped with stewed chicken.

    Got the passport photo taken and submitted the application. Paid $130 application fee by check to the US Dept. of State & $35 execution fee by credit card to the post office. The application process will take longer than expected, bout 10-13 wks instead of 4-6 wks. The submission time was quick and straightforward anyway, only ~15 mins. Felt relieved to have it done.

    S forwarded me a letter from the manager, granting him a bonus for outstanding performance. The letter was filled with generous compliments. I teased S that the letter seemed to have been dipped in sugar, honey, syrup, fruit jelly, milk and banana smoothie. Could tell how happy he was.

    4/14: Chores and definition of “fresh”

    Cleaned Sam’s litter box.

    Made meatloaf with a side dish of butter-fried green mix and pan-fried potatoes for S’s dinner and cut oranges for dessert.

    Put the dishes away and loaded the dishwasher.

    Fed Dozer and Sam.

    Steamed fresh shrimp bought from a local store and boiled the shrimp heads to use later. Interesting to see how Americans define “fresh” in seafood which means “never previously frozen”, whereas in Vietnam, it means “alive and swimming”. I had never bought dead shrimp when I lived there. But wild-caught shrimp is very common in the US, which is probably why it’s harder to keep it alive at the time of sale.

    4/16: Painting “Lover”, Canh and Theralogix order

    I took a shower, dressed up in a favorite black loose silk-like dress shirt, tied a 2-inch red belt around the waist, paired it with cream black snake print block heel sandals and accessorized with a casual red bag.

    We went to a museum and saw an oil painting called “Lover”. The painting depicted a scrawny man lying on his right side on the ground, the feet together, the right elbow above his head, the left hand resting on the right hand. His face was buried in his right arm. Told S that I didn’t see a relation between the painting & the “Lover” subject. No love, intimacy, bonding, or happiness. Then, he said, “He has a broken heart.” Such an A-ha moment! Yes, it could be a lover going through a breakup or in a distressed relationship or suffering a tragic loss of his beloved.

    We went home and I cooked “Canh”, a traditional Vietnamese soup, using shrimp broth. The broth was simply water used to steam shrimp and the juice from the shrimp blended into the water, giving the broth a naturally sweet and appealing red-orange color. Added mixed greens and sprinkled some garlic salt for flavor. Voila, it was ready to eat. “Canh” is a staple in daily meals of Vietnamese people. It’s not thick or creamy, but rather has a great amount of liquid. It can be made by simply using water after boiling vegetables with a few grains of salt. Lemon juice can be added after Canh is cooked to make it more appetizing. It can also be a complicated dish that is time-consuming and has a lot of ingredients. We eat “Canh” together with rice and other foods because its fluid and flavor balanced out the dryness of other dishes, making them easier to eat. For the type of “Canh” that’s simply water that has been used to boil vegetables, it serves not only as a dish but traditionally as a light and refreshing drink throughout our meals.

    ​My supplement order was declined last week because my health debit card didn’t have enough money. The lady taking care of my order didn’t ​tell​ me​ the payment didn’t go through. ​Successfully up​dated​ the​ order with a different card​​but the waiting time would be longer​, instead of 7-10 business days as usual. I​ have ​replacement prenatal vitamins and fish oil while waiting for the order to be delivered. But honestly, the quantity of vitamins and minerals in one dose of Theralogix supplements is much better than that in the similar over-the-counter ones. I should’ve ordered them, especially Ovasitol, over a month ago. However, at that time, I just went through a failed treatment and was taking a break before doing the next round. I just didn’t want to think of IVF or anything else related. I was kind of in a “let it go, let it be” attitude. Plus, I was somehow disappointed and lost hope that expensive quality medications would help. But now, with my next round coming up soon, my mind was reminded to get back to the journey with attention and focus.

    S rarely sleeps straight through the night. He goes to bed ~9 PM, wakes up ~11 PM, eats cookies, ice cream, or chips to fall back asleep. Then sleeps for few hours until 4:20 AM when he wakes up for work. It’s been going on for months, and it really worries me about his health. I suggested ​he read a book because he doesn’t enjoy it, which I thought might help him fall asleep quickly. However, he insist​ed nacks help him fall back asleep, but it never works. The same pattern leads to the same result – His sleep is still on and off but his belly is rounder and higher. ​

    4/16: Cut S’s hair and dinner at Carrabba

    ​​I had never thought I would be the one cutting S’s hair one day. It all started when we moved to a mesa at a high altitude of 7000 feet, and it was difficult for S to find a salon that had appointments that fits his work schedule. So, he asked me to cut his hair. I purchased a haircut kit from Walmart for a few dollars and started watching instructional videos on YouTube.​ ​At first, his haircuts were not too bad, but it would take me forever to finish. S encouraged me to use an electric shaver to make the work easier, but I was too lazy to learn how to use it, and still am. So, I still use the same scissors and combs I purchased at Walmart, and they work perfectly.​ Since I​ started cutting S’s hair before the COVID lockdowns began, our routine was not impacted when salons had to close due to the pandemic. S is always pleased with his new haircut, and he never intends to visit a salon again.

    ​Later​,​ we went to​ Carrabba,​ our favorite Italian restaurant for dinner and on the way, I saw a hand-writte​​n message on an equipment box that said “I’m fucking hungry”, which made me feel sorry for the person who wrote it.​ ​ It made me feel grateful for the blessings that I have in my life.​ Back home, listened to acid jazz​. The melody and beats were so captivating and sexy. Felt unwind and relaxed.

    4/17: ​How to wear a car key avoid looking like you’re showing off

    Made coffee and prepared lunch for S with Italian leftovers.

    ​​H​ad a morning checkup with a specialist doctor.

    Returned a plastic garden edging roll at Home Depot.

    Headed​ Publix for clam chowder soup and baby tomatoes.

    Did the laundry and cooked oyster soup, butter-sauteed kale, and shrimp for S’s dinner​ and oranges as dessert​. ​

    Ironed shirts and did personal care. ​

    Unloaded and loaded the dishwasher, ran it and cleaned the kitchen.

    While I was browsing Vietnamese news, I came across an amusing title that caught my attention. It was about how to wear a car key so that people don’t think you’re showing off. Although I didn’t read the article, I found the comments interesting, particularly one that said people who wear car keys to belts aren’t rich but rather taxi drivers, shippers, or truck drivers who use cars to earn money. Another comment mentioned how placing car keys on the table during a business meeting or a date indirectly tells people about your wealth because you don’t drive a motorbike.

    4/18: ​Chores

    F​orgot to wear a mask when I dropped off the specimen collection cup at the clinic​ as ​I was nervous and in a hurry​ to be on time due to the limited amount of time for specimen delivery. Hoped that the allergies wouldn’t bother me too much ​tonight. ​I’m tired of sneezing, having a runny nose, and taking pills for it.​ Did some chores after taking supplements including cutting pineapples up to store in the fridge. I bought them on sale for only 99 cents each. Bananas were overripe, didn’t want to throw them away, so I mashed them in a pan with some butter until they turned into a paste. ​Banana paste is delicious either on its own or when it is mixed with other ingredients. The best combinations for it are with milk and yogurt or with oatmeal and nuts. Yum!.

    ​4/19:​ Chores and black tea

    Sleepy, procrastinated to do chores, drank coffee, had breakfast: ultimate sub, banana paste smoothie with milk and yogurt​ and​ took morning supplements​.

    Loaded the dishwasher.

    Cleaned the living room, ​vacuumed the couch and dining chairs.

    Wiped down the kitchen cabinets and appliances.

    Ran the dryer​, and took trash out.

    Changed hand and face cloths​.

    Made black tea: boiled 1200ml water to 212F, added 3 tbsp loose leaf tea, brewed for 5 mins, put 3 tbsp sugar in a glass bottle, poured the tea water in, let it cool, then refrigerated​.

    Served S dinner with chilli soup, green beans, meatloaf sub, leftover BBQ pork and ppineapple.

    Took PM supplements, unloaded and loaded the dishwasher and cleaned Sam’s litter box.

    Found an empty container of peanut butter cookies on the coffee table, ​surprised that S had found it though I had ​put it in the freezer, instead of the pantry to prevent S from snacking​ late at night.

    4/20:​ Chores and Theralogix supplement temperature tolerance

    ​Drank coffee, had breakfast & took morning supplements.

    Unloaded & loaded the dishwasher.

    Swept & washed the porches.

    Cleaned Sam’s litter box.

    Made black tea.

    Ate French bread w/ condensed milk​. It used to be a luxurious, fancy breakfast that I was always excited to have when I was a kid. I still love this treat as much as I did back then.

    Cooked steak, green beans & red potatoes for S’s dinner.​

    My Theralogix supplements were delivered at the front porch but I didn’t know while the temperature outside was quite hot. Checked its website and was relieved to know the products were tested and guaranteed stable at the temperatures of 104°F (40°C) +/- 35°F (2°C) and relative humidity of 75% +/- 5%.

    4/21: Chores and vegetable soup

    Cleaned the double side door using glass cleaner and all-purpose spray.

    Cleaned big carpets with foam spray and vacuumed them.

    Swept, sucked, and blew leaves and debris off the driveway and the pathway, wore a mask to reduce exposure to dust and allergies.

    Made vegetable soup using frozen veggies, fresh celery, tomatoes, a​nd chili. I boiled it for 30 minutes on low heat with 2.5 cups of water and 0.5 cups of milk. Before finishing, added kale to prevent it from being overcooked. ​If you like cheese, you could add some mozzarella, or if you’re craving carbs, serving it with elbow noodles is also a great option.

    4/22​: Tired of chores, Love culture

    Fried rice with lard and fish sauce​ – a childhood favorite food of mine.​

    Ran the dishwasher.

    Ran the dryer and the washing machine.

    Folded another load of clothes, felt tired of household chores.

    Went to Rouses.

    Stopped by Walgreens for Excedrin and prescription.

    Decluttered MF room by sorting papers and putting them in proper places, throwing away paper trash, and organizing personal things​.

    ​S​till had a lot of things to do, and it felt like the endless cycle of chores was never-ending.​ ​​ As soon as I finish cleaning one task, it promptly finds its way back onto my to-do list. ​

    I had a thought about a cultural difference in a romantic relationship. In my culture, it’s common for a man to offer or insist on helping his girlfriend, e.g. carrying stuff for her or going to her house even when it is raining and she already refuses. It’s seen as a sign of gallantry and decisiveness. However, in a Western culture, respecting a person’s autonomy is important, and it could be seen annoying or offensive to push someone to accept help if they don’t want it.

    ​​4/23: Chores, grocery shopping and toy for Sam

    Woke up feeling low, had coffee and breakfast with 2 fried eggs and sweet potatoes, and took supplements.

    Went to Walmart and 2 Vietnamese stores to buy groceries.

    Put away groceries and reorganized the pantry.

    Did the laundry, ran the dishwasher, and made black tea.

    The Vietnamese grocery store I frequently visit has expanded into a much larger area. The owner rented the space next to their store, which used to be a seafood restaurant. The expanded store is filled with all kinds of products, from fresh produce and dry goods to snacks, drinks, and kitchen accessories, placed neatly on the shelves. Next to it are a bubble tea store and a Vietnamese restaurant which I guess belong to the same owner. They must be doing really well because with the expanded space, the store is now the largest Vietnamese one in town, making it difficult for other similar stores to compete.

    Since I bought Sam 2 replacement pads for his favorite toy today, they reminded me how lucky I am to have found the Morovilla Turbo Scratcher. Its design is so simple but so wonderful. It’s a plastic round base with a white ball which will spin in the channel when your cat shoves it with its paw. In the center, there’s a thick carton pad for scratching. The Turbo is everything to Sam. He rests on it, plays with the ball by shoving and catching it, and scratches it several times per day. I’ve been worry-free about him scratching the carpets or the couch since I bought him the first Turbo four years ago. One amazing thing about the toy is that the scratching pad is replaceable. When it wears out, I just flip it over and it looks new again. I only replace the pad when both sides are heavily scratched. Also, playing with the ball is like an exercise for Sam which helps him improve his reflexes and hand-eye coordination.

    4/24: Dinner gathering

    Cooked spring rolls, Bún Chả, Thịt Kho tàu, baby clam salad (Gỏi Hến xào) with Vietnamse crackers and​ banana flower and beef salad (Gỏi Hoa chuối) to welcome S’s co-worker coming over for dinner.

    I made spring rolls by wrapping the mixture of ground pork, fresh needle mushroom, pounded shrimp, chopped onion, black fungi, carrot, glass noodles, salt and pepper in a rice paper, forming it into a small-rectangular shape. I really don’t understand why rice papers though they were made in Vietnam are very thick, hard and chewy, completely different from the ones sold in Vietnam which I remembered were thin and very crispy. I had to use a trick by brushing the outer side of the rice paper with water and the other side with beaten egg. It worked pretty well but still wasn’t crispy enough. Next time, I’ll try by brushing it with just egg.

    Bún Chả was good. I chose pork shoulder as it had a proportionate ratio of fat and meat, perfect for grilling. I wished I could find boneless pork shoulder as the meat would be more tender but I was tired of driving between stores to look for perfect ingredients I needed. I cut it into 1/8 inch thick slices and marinated them with crushed garlic, onions, lemon grass, garlic salt and pepper, mushroom extract seasoning and a touch of Mam tom (fish paste). Left it overnight and then pan-fried for 7 minutes at different temperatures. In Vietnam, meat is cooked on a steel net rack placed over a small charcoal stove, giving it a more flavorful grilled aroma.

    Baby clam salad was a disappointment. The clams had a strange texture and a strong, unpleasant smell. I think it was a mistake to mix them with pineapple, which made them mushy. Previously, I mixed clams with mango and mint and it was perfect. Actually, pineapple can go well with baby clams as long as you leave them separate and combine them only when you eat. But I know Americans don’t like food that requires them to do extra work, like putting a little bit of this and that together for each bite. That’s why I mixed everything together beforehand.

    Banana flower and beef salad was good for my Asian taste but the sauce might have been too strong for S and his co-worker. The sauce was a mixture of fish sauce, sugar, lemon, red peppers, garlic and ginger and no water was added to preserve its bold flavor.

    Thịt Kho tàu was the best. I stewed pork belly in coconut juice, soy sauce, sugar and caramel with pepper seeds and red peppers. Served with sticky rice.

    I thought my salads were an unpleasant experience for both S and his co-worker. I would not take risks next time.

    ​​

  • September ramblings, 2022

    Fri, 9/2/22Odered Theralogix supplements

    Paid $697 for Theralogix supplements and vitamins. Three boxes of capsules looked really weird; the powder inside had areas of brown, instead of being pure white like they always were. Concerned about its safety, I called the company’s customer service, even though it was past 9 pm already. I wasn’t sure if they were working at that time but I didn’t want to wait till the morning. After waiting for a week to finally get my meds, it’s irritating to think they sent me the bad ones, which happened once to my prenatal vitamins ordered from them. Those were oxidized though the pack was sealed and didn’t expire until 2023. I wanted an explanation immediately. I waited for a long time before a lady picked up my phone. She said the meds were fine, their color changed as the manufacturer replaced the white shells with the clear ones. I felt much relieved after her answer. That night I had a good sleep!

    Mon, 9/5/22Bought new curtains

    S agreed with my idea to have new curtains as I hate the blinds we currently have. They make me lazy as it’s just not convenient at all for daily use or cleaning. I rarely open them as some of their strings broke, some got entangled and I have to pull the blinds all the way up if I want full viewing windows. Even so, the blinds still block the top part of the windows and they don’t hang straight which is annoying to see. Also, there’s no easy way to clean them thoroughly by taking them off and cleaning every single strip with a cleaner and a rag, then putting them back on. Plus our blinds are pretty heavy. Moreover, as the blinds cover the windows most of the time, I rarely clean the windows as they aren’t easily accessible.

    Because S has completed installing the new windows, I spent some time looking for curtains. So damn tired of being unable to find the ones I like within our limited budget. Shopping sometimes is such a tortured punishment, especially when you have a champagne taste on a beer budget. I browsed thousands of products. Jesus, the curtains I like are so expensive. Finally found some to save in the list. Ordered sheer white embroidered curtains for the upstairs and sheer brown ones for the downstairs from a website in China as they have the sizes and the styles I want for a reasonable price. The cons are I will have to wait over a month and shorten the hems by myself later. Actually I could ask the seller to do it for me but I want to save the remnant fabrics for a different purpose. I also ordered ivory Boho-influenced curtains on Amazon for my Mannered Gold-painted room – it’s a multi-purpose room but it’s only me using it now. The curtains’ maximum length is just 84” while I need 90”, so I bought an extra pair to add more length to the curtains. Also, they are rod-pocket curtains; therefore, I will redo that part for a pleat style. The repair won’t be fun but I can’t expect more at such an amazing 79% discount price, $21.08 for a set of 2 beautiful panels.

    All the windows will have 2 layers of the blackout/darkening curtains and the sheer ones on the inside. They will be double pinch pleats, 90” long, 40” wide for small windows and 78” wide for big ones. For the most part, the total width of the panels should be double the width of the window to provide the beautiful fullness in appearance. I never want the curtains’ combined width to be over 2.5 times the window’s. I would be anxiously overwhelmed to be in an area with too much fabric, especially if the fabric is thick and heavy, unless the house is spacious and has a high ceiling.

    Tue, 9/6/22 – Reserved a boarding for Dozer

    S and I are going to have a 3 day trip by the end of the month, so I looked for a dog boarding for Dozer. Called one of few places in our area and answered the receptionist’s questions, then was told that they would email me an application form. Having waited for a few days for nothing, I called again, and answered the receptionist’s questions again, and again, was told to receive the form via email, which was finally sent. Looking at the form, I was a bit aggravated as most of the requested information in the form was what I had responded to over the phone. I filled it out and clicked “send”, thinking it was done. Nope, not yet! It just showed that Dozer’s appointment has been booked. I still needed to fill out another form to confirm that appointment. And again, most of the requested information in the form was what I had answered already. Ok, I completed the form and hit “submit”. Wait, I had to create a portal account first. What the heck! Is it necessary to be that complicated? It seemed like I was working for them, not their client. I just needed a place for Dozer, I didn’t need the headache of going through all of this technical process. However, I still created an account, submitted the form and realized that Dozer was booked for two appointments (?!?!). To be able to cancel the wrong one which wasn’t my fault, I had to state a reason for cancelation….Next, I called the facility to make sure all has been set and clarify the vaccinations Dozer would have to get. The lady said he would get D2PP besides Rabies, Bortella and Canine influenza vaccines. I told her Dozer didn’t need D2PP until next December, which was mentioned in all the forms I submitted but for some reasons it was ignored.

    Wed, 9/7/22Eyes checked

    I stopped by LensCrafters for a walk-in eye exam and had an overall pleasant experience. To begin with, I filled out a form which required my personal information and had questions about my vision and general health history. Then I followed a technician to a dark room for the eye test which involved several steps.

    First, she gave me the visual acuity test by asking me to read the smallest letters I could and distinguish shapes. Second, I was asked to look into the autoRefractor and focus on (the image of a balloon on the device to measure my prescription. Following that, I got a perimetry test, during which I was asked to look into a machine and detect a series of flashing lights of varying size and brightness without moving my eyes by tapping a button whenever a flash of light was spotted. This test is useful in finding changes in vision and a crucial part of glaucoma diagnosis, a disease that damages your eye’s optic nerve. Then I was seated behind a tonometer and the technician shot a puff of air into my eye while I was looking into a light, which startled me a bit and caused slight discomfort. The test checks the pressure of the eye. After that, she took me to another room where I got a retina exam to evaluate the back of my eyes.

    Finally, I was in the optometrist’s room where he told me to sit behind the phoropter machine for a series of refraction assessment. He changed lenses and settings while asking me which image I saw was more clear. This test helps doctors determine the correct prescription to give patients the sharpest vision and also evaluate eye muscles. The optometrist said I just needed single lenses for my shortsightedness for the time being and might need progressive lenses in a few years when I develop farsightedness as well. Progressives provide vision correction at different distances and are designed for addressing presbyopia, an aged-related condition affecting (people 40+ years old) who find it difficult to focus on near objects…